EXCESS SKIN questions!

Sparkette · August 21, 2007

OK, so after I lose 100 pounds, I know there will be excess skin hanging around. Other than getting a Tummy Tuck, how have you dealt with it? Are there things you can do to prevent it? I know they say it takes at least a YEAR after weightloss for your skin to catch up. Is that true? Does it ever REALLY catch up? Anyone got there yet?

Thanks,

Donna:phanvan:phanvan

JulieNYC · August 22, 2007

For what it's worth, my Dad is a plastic surgeon and he says it's a complete myth that losing weight slowly will make any difference in the end. He said it might be less bothersome if you lose slowly because you're giving it time to contract with you, but that if you lost quickly (and healthily -- I don't mean combined with the effects of malnutrition), 2 years later, you'd look exactly the same as if you lost slowly, in terms of excess skin.

I have a lot of excess skin on my legs. A LOT. I wear a compression garment under my clothes every day. It makes it tolerable and makes me look normal in clothes, but I still want it removed surgically....

WASaBubbleButt · August 23, 2007

I think one issue is to put it all in perspective. You already have excess skin, it's just filled up right now. It's better to have empty excess skin vs. full excess skin.

I'm with Julie's Dad on this one. There is no way to avoid it. There are certain factors that make a bit of a difference but overall, it's just going to be a reality.

I'm already gearing up for plastic surgery. I've worked hard and I deserve this.

josephine · August 26, 2007

Having lost 111 lbs and yes, the excess skin, absultely gross, I had my TT and breast lift. I am only 5 months out from that and I am still dealing with the scarring issues. I can't wait until they start disappearing. I still having underneath stitching tearing inside and the pulling of my stomach muscles that they tightened. I know it is all for the good though. I need to get a butt and thigh lift and I will sometime in the next year. I hope it will stop there. My sister tries to tell me, be careful because I can begin to get addicted to plastic surgery.

I hated myself for being obese and now I hate myself for what I allowed to do to myself to get that way and the results from my loss. My mother and sister both thought that I was crazy to have lapband (even though they like the end results) and now they think that I am even crazier to go under the knife to get rid of the excess. They say exercise and it will fix it. You can not fix a person who has been obese for 5 years + and has lost more than 100 lbs. Of course the skin is going to hang and go nowhere. I do thank my sister with telling me to join the gym though because I now am obsessed. I am with a trainer 3 times a week for 30 mins. and then I am on my tread mill at home 3 times a week for 2 miles at a time or 30 mins.

I would never wish this weight to come back though because I am tired of that route. Gain lose gain lose. I am HEALTHY now and I am going to stay that way.

Josephine

*I have been maintaining for 1 year since July 25th, 2006. I had my surgery Nov. 10, 2005.

mariecarmen · August 27, 2007

I had a Tummy Tuck (sounds almost cute and petite, doesn't it?)

Depending on your age, your amount of years, your excess weight and how you carried it you will or won't have a problem with excess skin.

Mine was going nowhere without surgical intervention and gotta say--Good Riddance!

labella · August 27, 2007

I think one issue is to put it all in perspective. You already have excess skin, it's just filled up right now. It's better to have empty excess skin vs. full excess skin.
I'm with Julie's Dad on this one. There is no way to avoid it. There are certain factors that make a bit of a difference but overall, it's just going to be a reality.

I'm already gearing up for plastic surgery. I've worked hard and I deserve this.

I noticed you went to Dr. Aceves I am having him do my band on Sep 13

what was your oppinion of all of them and their services, and have you ever been back to see him for a fill?

I am with you if you work so hard to lose all that weight and your skin dont return halfway normal you deserve to get it fixed, I havent even lost my weight yet but I will get a Tummy Tuck, OH YEA!

WASaBubbleButt · August 27, 2007

I noticed you went to Dr. Aceves I am having him do my band on Sep 13
what was your oppinion of all of them and their services, and have you ever been back to see him for a fill?

I am with you if you work so hard to lose all that weight and your skin dont return halfway normal you deserve to get it fixed, I havent even lost my weight yet but I will get a Tummy Tuck, OH YEA!

I adore him. Honestly, I did my research long and hard before choosing a doctor. My insurance would have covered the procedure but the wait was too long and I have a $5K deductable anyway. It cost me about $2K more to go to him vs. using my insurance in the states and if I had it to do all over again, I'd go to him in a heart beat. I still go there for fills, I doubt I'll ever go to anyone else for follow up.

You made a great decision.

Ready4it · August 27, 2007

Do you think it will be any different since I am younger? Like, my skin bouncing back faster? I hope so! I don't want to go for a TT...

labella · August 27, 2007

I adore him. Honestly, I did my research long and hard before choosing a doctor. My insurance would have covered the procedure but the wait was too long and I have a $5K deductable anyway. It cost me about $2K more to go to him vs. using my insurance in the states and if I had it to do all over again, I'd go to him in a heart beat. I still go there for fills, I doubt I'll ever go to anyone else for follow up.
You made a great decision.

WOW! That was quick, Thank you so much I realy did need to here from some one that went to him, I am so excited I can't stand it. I have tried so hard to learn as much as I can about LB and every thing about it, it is so amazing there are so many people who have had it done and I have only been reserching for about a year, I have not told my family about it yet, I did tell my two doughters, one is 25 the other 21, there the only children I have, When I mentioned it to my sister a long time ago she thought I was crazy, well I guess she must be alot happer with her self, I would like her support but I am so happy to have found all you bandsters to help with this journey,

you are amazing!:whoo:

TheGh0st · August 27, 2007

Ready - Wasa might be able to answer better with her medical background but my own opinion is yes you might fare better than some. From what I understand the ones who fare the best are young with a naturally darker skin tones, such as latin/south american, medditeranean or african. Factors that make it worse are pre-existing strech marks, age, and fairer complexions. So my being nearly 40 with strech marks from my upper chest down nearly to my knees, and a red-head with skin so white it's like to glow in the dark, I was bound to need PS from the start. To possibly be more graphic than some would like I am now a size 10 and my deflated "pannis" or as I call it my personal fanny pack. hangs down so far that if I put a ruler under it it measures 3-1/2 inches. Still my family (in-laws & out-laws) have it in their heads I am taking the "easy-way" out yet again by having PS surgery to get rid of it rather than just do a few extra sit-ups. Come on people! I don't see how any number of sit-ups are going to get rid of a 3+ inch flap of skin hanging down.

TheGh0st · August 27, 2007

OK after that vent - there is one thing that I do think can help if not cure some sagging skin problems. I know it sounds crazy but deep and vigorous tissue massage can help firm up the skin a bit. I saw something on TV about 3 months ago on a woman that was very skinny but had loose skin on her stomach that looked a bit like those elephant ankles you get with loose nylons. After 8-weeks of intense massage that she described as nearly painful her stomach was flat. Unfortunately they did not mention how frequently or how long the treatments were during the 8 weeks.

It sounded VERY fishy to me but I'd just got a 4.5K quote on my "bye-bye" arms at the PS something I can't imagine paying just for my arms. So I thought why not just give it a try. In the spirit of scientific discovery I only massaged one arm. I would massage my arm several times each day. Each time only for approx 1-2 minutes. I would rub my upper arm as hard as I could, usually hard enough to turn the skin pink. Surprisingly I thought I could see a difference within just a few days. After the first couple weeks I stopped doing it as regulaly as I was at the beginning.

It's been 8 weeks now that I've been doing it to just the one arm and that arm is now 3" smaller than the other arm. I have a pre-op appointment with my PS in a couple more weeks. It will be the first time he has seen me since he gave me the unsolicited quote for my arms. I can't wait to show him the difference. Then I'll start working on the other arm as well.

I never could have afforded spending over 4K on my arms and even though 3" is not enough for me to like my arm, it is enough to make it more bearable. Hopefully enough so that I won't obsess over them in the years to come. And if I'm lucky maybe if I combine the massage with weight lifting and plain old time they will get even better. I've posted a pic below.

Mind you I can't imaging any amount of massage having got rid of the stomach skin I have now. Maybe if I'd done it everyday for the last 2 years but not now.

amom · August 27, 2007

Wow Ghost, what a difference. That's one place I want fixed right away. I can cover up the rest of the skin but my arms are always waving at everyone. I'm going to try this, Can you tell me how you did it exactly.

TheGh0st · August 28, 2007

Really, I just rubbed the heck out of my upper arm. All sides. I have three different ways I rub them. First I rub as much of my arm as I can reach with my knuckles, kind of like when you give someone a knuckle rub on their head but as hard as you can do it. then I rub and anywhere else I can reach with an open palm exerting most of the pressure with my middle finger. Finally rub my arms with my hand held in a rigid "karate-chop" pose using the side of my hand or fingers to rub my arm. I try to do it for several short periods each day. Like if I'm sitting at a red light, while waiting for a particularily slow web page to load or in the shower.

The only word of warning would be that when I first started I did it for longer periods of time "maybe 5-10 minutes" 2-3 times a day. After the first few days my arm was already looking better, BUT by the end of the week the shoulder of the arm I was using to rub the other arm was killing me. Somehow I'd pinched a nerve or something, it hurt bad enough I was starting to think I'd really torn something. After I cut the sessions down to just a minute (give or take) my other arm started to get better.

I still feel like there is a nasty loose bit up near the arm-pit but that area is hard to rub well without aggrevating my sore shoulder. I've been trying to think of some "tool" I could use to help rub my arms, maybe one of those wood back massagers with the rolling balls on it? Though just yesterday I realized the bannister on my stairs was just the right height and shape to use. But I got a tell you I look mighty silly swaying back and forth trying to rub my arms with it.:becky:

Tricia K. · August 28, 2007

I was obese for over 20 years and have excess skin on my tummy, inner thighs and upper arms. I also have deflated breasts.

I will (hopefully) be getting a combo tummy tuck/thigh lift/breast implants as well as the new arm lift where the incision/scar is in your armpit AFTER my husband and I have a baby - - not pregnant yet, mind you.

What really gets my goat is when people who have never had a weight problem think that excercise alone will get rid of excess skin. They are so wrong. I began exercising 3 months after surgery and my skin would probably look the same if I hadn't. There is no guarantee that your skin will bounce back. Only luck is on your side.

KLM3hrt · August 28, 2007

so many ppl have told me since i was young i wouldnt have an issue with excess skin... liars. i am only 24 .. but ive been over 200lbs since i was 9 yrs old.. and i dont care how young you are... when you lose 215lbs.... ur bound to have some excess... ive exercised and weight trained at least 3 times a week , since i had surgery.. im sure its helped alot.. but ima still face the knife :rolleyes: